Cruise Industry News and Trends

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the cruise sector, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more on cruise operators, ships and their use of technology.

The cruise industry is navigating a new era defined by technological innovation, evolving traveler expectations, and global sustainability demands. At PhocusWire, we cover the latest cruise industry news and trends—tracking how cruise lines are modernizing operations, enhancing guest experiences, and leveraging digital tools to reshape maritime tourism.

Cruise line updates, maritime tourism trends, and industry analysis

Stay current with fleet announcements, itinerary strategies, and onboard technology transformations. From AI-driven personalization to frictionless boarding and next-generation entertainment, cruise companies are investing heavily in digital and operational enhancements to meet changing customer demands. Our coverage also explores how the cruise sector is aligning with broader travel trends, including sustainability and wellness.

Report: Relevance is the key to unlocking sustainable growth in travel
From Our Partners / Distribution
Report: Relevance is the key to unlocking sustainable growth in travel
By Rokt | March 31, 2025
Find out about best-in-class strategies for ancillary revenue growth, harnessing data and insights to deliver relevant cross-sell and upsell offers and to reduce friction at checkout. Read More
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: HotelTonight, Airbnb, WTTC, NextTrip and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: HotelTonight, Airbnb, WTTC, NextTrip and more...
By PhocusWire | March 28, 2025
 Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry.   Read More
Airlines expressed economic concern. Should online travel giants be worried?
News / Online
Airlines expressed economic concern. Should online travel giants be worried?
By Morgan Hines | March 27, 2025
Wall Street and travel industry analysts weigh in on how factors such as trade wars, economic woes and travel warnings could impact consumers' desire to travel. Read More
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: DerbySoft, Ixigo, UATP, Veltra and more...
News / Technology
PhocusWire's weekly travel tech news briefs: DerbySoft, Ixigo, UATP, Veltra and more...
By PhocusWire | March 21, 2025
Keep up with all the latest people, partner and product news from around the global travel industry. Read More
U.S. travel agency market: A resilient and thriving segment
News / Distribution
U.S. travel agency market: A resilient and thriving segment
By Phocuswright Research | March 17, 2025
The advisor landscape is shifting, with new entrants replacing retirees and an increasing number returning to office/storefront settings. Read More
Travel websites littered with accessibility issues
News / Online
Travel websites littered with accessibility issues
By Morgan Hines | March 6, 2025
The 2025 Digital Accessibility Index found an average of 297 accessibility issues per webpage during Q4 of 2024 across 400,000 pages on 15,000 websites in different industries including hospitality. Read More
Alexa+ could earn “top-of-the-funnel” spot in travel research
News / Technology
Alexa+ could earn “top-of-the-funnel” spot in travel research
By Morgan Hines | March 4, 2025
Travel brands including Tripadvisor and Uber have partnered with Amazon for the debut of its reimagined voice assistant. Read More
Buy now, pay later frees travelers to spend more while managing a budget
From Our Partners / Online
Buy now, pay later frees travelers to spend more while managing a budget
By Suzanne Hirt | February 10, 2025
As prices and interest rates rise, budget-conscious travelers are turning to alternative payment methods such as buy now, pay later options that split payments into smaller installments, often without... Read More
AWS on using technology to drive customer-centricity in travel
From Our Partners / Technology
AWS on using technology to drive customer-centricity in travel
By PhocusWire | January 8, 2025
 AWSprovides cloud computing technology to companies around the world, including many in travel and hospitality such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Trip.com, Booking.com, Choice Hotels and many... Read More
Inside the digital transformation at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
From Our Partners / Advertorial
Inside the digital transformation at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
By PhocusWire | December 2, 2024
Hear how Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has worked with Snowflake and Tredence to create a customer-centric, data-driven organization built on innovative technology. Read More
Amazon expands travel partners for Cyber Week deals
News / Online
Amazon expands travel partners for Cyber Week deals
By Morgan Hines | November 12, 2024
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines,Viator, Princess Cruises, Visit Florida, Royal Caribbean, Carnival and many other travel suppliers are partnering with the online retail giant. Read More
Traveltek latest to be acquired by Juniper Group
News / Technology
Traveltek latest to be acquired by Juniper Group
By Linda Fox | October 30, 2024
Juniper Group, part of Vela Software and Constellation Software, continues its acquisition spree with cruise and dynamic packaging tech specialist Traveltek. Read More
Cruisebound brings travel industry veterans on board with $13M investment
News / Startups
Cruisebound brings travel industry veterans on board with $13M investment
By Mileva Sapic | October 29, 2024
Cruisebound said it has been hitting growth milestones over the past two years, including securing triple-digit annual revenue growth. It has also unveiled an AI chatbot and flexible payment options. Read More
How Goldjoy Travel found its sweet spot in the online cruise market
News / Technology
How Goldjoy Travel found its sweet spot in the online cruise market
By Yeoh Siew Hoon - WiT | October 11, 2024
A panel discussion at Cruise World Asia tackled “how to bulletproof your travel agency business with technology” with speakers from Goldjoy Travel and GlobalTix. Read More
How digitalization and consolidation will fuel growth in global cruise distribution
From Our Partners / Distribution
How digitalization and consolidation will fuel growth in global cruise distribution
By E-hoi | September 24, 2024
Online cruise distribution remains one of the remaining untapped vanguards amongst all online travel. Read More
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